Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1887-03-16

her dreams, thought of possessing,
She gave a cry OF delight, and her face
Int up with childlike pleasure and ad-
miration.
ooh, tits beautiful-beautiful-
beautiful" she said gracefully. "'Tis
too fine for such as me SIR Oh, lean.
not thank you as want! Look, JAS
per, look! Oh, l must show aunt!
Isn't it beautiful, Jasper, lad?"
Jasper's flowers had fallen unheaded
to the ground, whilst Bet stroked the
chain with eager fingers. Jasper,
his brows drawn together, stood q
little apart from the other two, with
q hard knot in his heart.
"Tis no use to such as thee" he
said sullenly. "Thee's got no watch
to wear on it, and if thee had, tits too
fine to be Haunting on thy neck O.
work days"
"Thee's tired, Bet" said Jasper on
the following evening, coming up to
Bet as she sat pale and listless at the
window, gazing out into the night.
NAY, I'm not tired" she answered
adding hurriedly, "Aye, Iam-tired to
death; will 60 to bed. IT'S the hot
sun wearies me. Good night Jasper"
"Tis something else nor the sun,
I'm afeard," said Jasper gently, try
ing to read her half-averted face. eff
thee would tell me what ails thee.
now? Maybe could help thee some
what"
She was silent for q moment, then
broke out impetuously-
81 want to see the world. | want
not to be here for ever, doing the
same thing day after day till l die.
Ills a poor spirit that never tries to
fly the nest"
1.-The wings are safer in the nest
There's danger outside for such as
thee, with thy yellow hair and blue
eyes," said Jasper earnestly. at s
what that artist said to thee some
time back, lass? Aye, l mind what he
bid thee-to go and make thy fortune
by thy face!"
"And if l make my fortune I'd bring
it to thee, lad" said the girl, turn
ing to him eagerly. "Thee knows
tits not to forsake thee Pm wearyingto
see the world. I'd come back to
thee"
Nay" he said, stroking her hair
tenderly, as though she were some
trail flower that might fade beneath
his touch. ""Thee dost not know what
thee speakest of, Bet. Thee'd never
come back. Not as I'd have thee stay
if l thought thee'd be happier if thee
went. IT'S for thy own sake bid thee
T Iowa &hno Rot -
'"Tis not in thee to understand"
said Bet.
She rested her cheek for a second
against his hand, then slipped quickly
upstairs to her little bedroom.
Once there, she did not go to bed,
but sat at the lattice window, strug-
Cling and fighting with her thoughts.
In her hand she held the gold chain,
caressing the shining links, and al
lowing her foolish little brain to dream
of other pretty things, richer by far
than this.
Poor Bet She was innocent as the
daisies that spring in the meadows.
But in her very simplicity lay her dan
ger. 1t never occurred to her that
Challoner's tiatterles were calculated
to do her harm by exciting ambitions
which could never be gratified. He
told her she was sweet and lovely,
and that if she came to him in Lon
don he would make her lady, and
she should be his model and that all
other artists would envy. He was
clever, and she was vain. Again I say,
poor Bet!
She still seemed to feel the pressure
of his hand at parting, still to hear
his last whisper. "If you want me,
Bet-come."
Jasper? Oh, after a time Jasper
would be proud of her being lady. 1t
was only that he did not understand.
So, as the old clock in the kitchen
licked out the slow minutes and hours,
Bet sat on dreaming, whilst the subtle
poison of vanity crept into her ignor-
ant heart.
When the dawn was breaking she
rose, gathered some of her clothes in
to bundle, and crept noiselessly into
the passage.
Once she paused. It was on the
threshold Of Jasper's room, and here
some sudden impulse made her kneel
down and clasp her hands together.
THE Lord bless thee and keep thee!"
she prayed in a whisper.
Then she glided, a ghostly figure in
the chill dawn, out of the house
every moment being full of dread to
Bet lest Challoner should find her.
Instinct told her that he would make
an effort to see her, and in this she
was right. But she did not under
stand that this huge city, where she
imagined any one could lie hidden from
his nearest friends, was familiar
ground to Challoner, and that with
little trouble he would not fail to dis
cover her retreat.
On the evening of her second day
with Mollie, that good woman sent
tine girl on an GRAND some two or
three streets off, thinking it best for
her to get used to walking alone, as
she would always have to do so hence
forth.
Bet was walking dream lily along
of Jasper and home, when a
hand laid suddenly on her shoulder
arrested her with a start of nervous
dread.
DSG, SdIu d. llSIlG CdrGSSlug voice.
"why do you hide from me, you fool
ish little thing?"
because I hate your she cried,
covering her scared face with her
hands. "Oh, sir, leave mel"
Il shan't hurt you," he said impa
tiently; "come listen to reason. |
want you for new picture-Bet! Bet!
what is the natter"
For the moment he raised his hand |
rom her shoulder, she had rushed |
rom him in blind, unreasoning terror. |
She only felt that she must get away
rom him-must never see his mock |
ing face again.
Challoner was provoked beyond |
words. 1t was ridiculous, he said to |
himself, to see her flying from him as
though he wished to murder her-silly
;hildl
On Bet hurried, down street after
street, Needless whittier she was going,
70 long as. she escaped from him,
When at last, from sheer exhaustion.
she paused, she had no idea where she
vas. 1t was growing late, and soon
he night would be upon her
Drocontlu che roo chad tbo ri11or o-J |